There are certainly variations. My HLV has a middle shaft fixed in the rise & fall frame and the speed-change assembly rides on bearings on that shaft. I'm given to understand that most other machnes have the speed change shaft ride on bearings.

The HLV model was built with the speed control on the cabinet door.
The HLV-H was built with the speed control box on the head, with fast/slow push buttons.

I have seen a late year HLV (1956) that looks like the HLV-H, it has the speed control box on the head. And the internal drive system is the same as the HLV-H. Since then production with the the Reeves pulley drive system has not changed. Call Hardinge parts number to confirm.

Regarding the HLV-H motor belt situation in the UK (no motor belts available this side of the pond, only in the US and expensive there even before shipping cost and import duty), similar belts can be found here in the UK and I am wondering what differences would be acceptable ie unnoticeable in use. The HLV-H belt is a 1" wide , 38" long , 26 degree sheave profile, variable speed belt . Available in the UK is a different variable speed belt 0.6mm wider (2.3% wider), 3mm shorter (0.3%), but with a 27 degree sheave profile as opposed to 26 degree sheave profile of original. I was thinking the small extra width and shorter length would probably have limited combined impact on performance, but I was wondering if the angle profile difference of 1 degree would have a noticeable impact on smoothness of operation and of belt wear (and so subsequently smoothness of operation). Any thoughts on these dimension differences please? Anyone tried something similar?

In other threads it has been mentioned that only the Hardinge belts work. I have never tried anything else, so I do not know which or if any can be substituted.
It made an amazing difference in the loudness of my AHC when I replaced the lower belt. An old cracked belt sure can be noisy.

In other threads it has been mentioned that only the Hardinge belts work. I have never tried anything else, so I do not know which or if any can be substituted.
It made an amazing difference in the loudness of my AHC when I replaced the lower belt. An old cracked belt sure can be noisy.

Yes the outside edge of my motor belt is hard and crusty /cracked so I am hoping that replacement will make it run a lot quieter. Trouble is using a bigger angle profile (27 deg) belt in the tighter angled (26 deg) sheave will again put the outer edge under most stress/wear and I am wondering if the only 1 degree difference will be a quick path to a new belt becoming similarly worn, or actually be too small to be noticed...

The belt part numbers are identical from HLV to HLV-H. The only differences are that the shaft is stationary in the HLV and rotates in the HLV-H, and that the actuator is motorised in the earlier machines and motorised in the later ones. There is also a difference between earlier and later HLVs in that in the earlier ones, the pulley and and bearing assembly was all welded together and on later ones they (wisely) used circlips, so the owner could do maintenance/repairs.

No opinion. If you do some searching on older threads Hardinge belts were the only one that will work without trouble. Not sure that anything has changed in the last couple of years.

Just went a did some searching and found these threads:
There is at least one other thread mentioning several belts tried and only Hardinge worked. Two of the threads copied here suggest part numbers of belts that are not from Hardinge and will work.

Thanks Fred - I have searched the Forum but there is no mention of specific alternatives rejected, and no cost or time incentive in the US to try anything other than the correctly specified belt and that Hardinge (or Gates or Goodyear) branded is the best. The reported specific issue with the spindle pulley having a 24 degrees sheave and so NOT receptive to anything other than the Hardinge belt (ie NOT the Gates 1626V) , does not effect my issues in replacing the more standard motor pulley (26 degree sheave) which does receive well the 1626V generic belt. However here in the UK the spec is only sourceable in the US and so works out expensive and takes a few weeks plus to get here. Noone has mentioned the metric Optibelt VSB 26x8x962 which is extraordinarily close in spec, moderately easily available here and that is why I am thinking (only thinking!) of giving it a go.The cost is about $45 delivered here, as compared to the all-in cost of the correct US belt after delivery/duties/customs processing charges etc of about $100 and moreover takes 4-6 weeks delivery time

Thanks Mark, but that part number (Gates or other generic brand ) belt is sadly only available in the US, not stocked anywhere outside the US. I can see that for the upper spindle belt where the sheave is an unusual 24 degrees then there really can be no alternative to paying for a Hardinge belt in the US, but for the more common 26 degree sheave of the lower motor belt, I hope it is worth exploring close European alternatives

Mark, that is an outstanding response and opinion - exactly the sort of novel thinking I was hoping for. Many thanks indeed. Ok I will try it and report back to see how it went, but not immediately as I need to pay some attention to the pulley assemble to get that running smoothly I think as well. .

Sadly I have discovered that this European Optibelt does NOT fit. The Optibelt supplier salesperson got it all wrong , and in the process I have learnt a bit about belt measurement! The US nomenclature in 1626V380 has 380 = 38" PITCH Length which is completely different from OUTSIDE Length or INSIDE Length. The European nomenclature for Optibelt's Vari Power belts has 962 = 962mm INSIDE length. I have found that the US specified belt apparently has an OUTSIDE diameter of 38 1/2 " (not stated in the code) whereas this closest Optibelt probably has an OUTSIDE length of about 39.8". having searched high and low, it does indeed seem that there is no European belt similar to the American 1626V380 .

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